Resistance from the USA and EU
Orban and Johnson position themselves against aid to Ukraine
October 27, 2023, 11:36 a.m
The new number 3 in the USA, Mike Johnson, expresses concerns about the financing of Ukraine and wants to be informed by Biden about the goals there. There is also skepticism about further arms deliveries from Hungary and Slovakia.
There is resistance in the USA and the EU to further military aid for Ukraine. In Washington, newly elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson called for separate votes on aid for Ukraine and Israel. This is seen as an indication that Johnson’s Republicans may not agree to the military aid proposed by US President Joe Biden.
In the EU, both Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the new Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed skepticism about further arms deliveries. The 27 EU heads of state and government want to discuss Ukraine again in Brussels today, on the second day of their summit. In an interview with Fox News, Johnson announced: “Israel is a separate issue – we will present a standalone funding measure for Israel of over $14 billion.”
Johnson also expressed concerns about funding for Ukraine. “We want to know what the goal is there (…). The White House hasn’t told us that.” Biden has requested $106 billion in additional funding from Congress. Most of the money will go to strengthening Ukraine’s defense, while the rest will be spent on Israel, the Indo-Pacific region and border surveillance. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had announced that he wanted to anchor aid to Ukraine in the EU budget in the long term and that this should be a priority. However, some EU states are insisting on increasing spending on other issues such as migration.
The Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal wants the EU Commission to provide budget support of 18 billion euros for next year, as in 2023. In the coming year, the budget requirement for international financial aid will be a total of 42 billion euros, said the Prime Minister. In addition to the EU as a whole, a number of EU member states are also providing additional military aid.
Orban: Ukraine will not win on the front lines
Orban said on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels that the EU’s strategy in Ukraine had failed. Ukraine will not win at the front. There was a “big fight” at the meeting in Brussels, especially over support for Ukraine. He sees no reason to allow Hungarian tax money to flow into the EU budget for aid to Ukraine. There must be a “very well-founded” template as to why further aid is necessary for Ukraine. Hungary will then decide on its approval in December. However, Orban had repeatedly criticized new EU sanctions against Russia in the past, but always agreed in the end.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel downplayed the criticism from Hungary. “You can’t say: If you want money for Ukraine, we want money for ourselves,” he said. “We should not be Mr. Orban’s hostage – and I am also convinced that we will find a positive solution,” he added.
The Slovakian prime minister had criticized the financing of weapons for Ukraine with EU money and announced on Thursday that his government wanted to concentrate on civilian aid. Fico referred to what he believes are still serious problems with corruption in Kiev. Fico was appointed Prime Minister of the EU and NATO country that borders Ukraine on Wednesday. From the opposition, he focused his election campaign in the summer, which was characterized by pro-Russian statements, heavily on an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine. However, his coalition partners take a different position.